


Empty Nest

by Ink_Gypsy



Category: LOTR RPS
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-27
Updated: 2010-02-27
Packaged: 2017-10-07 14:18:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/65961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mack Astin's engagement has Sean feeling his younger brother doesn't need him anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Empty Nest

Sean looked down and was surprised to find himself holding Elijah's hand. Lost in thought, he hadn't even realized that Elijah had slipped his small hand into Sean's larger one until Sean closed his hand and felt the warmth of Elijah's skin.

"You're a million miles away, Seanie," Elijah said. "Is something wrong?"

"No, Lijah, nothing's wrong."

"Well it can't be right. I've never seen you so distracted. Won't you tell me what's bothering you? I want to help if I can."

Sean squeezed Elijah's hand. "I know you do, but it's nothing, really." He looked into Elijah's eyes, and seeing the concern there, knew he wasn't going to get away with a half-truth. "All right," he said finally. "It's Mack. He got engaged."

"That's wonderful!" Elijah exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Mack didn't want anyone but family to know." Sean saw hurt flicker in Elijah's eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. Still, it tore at Sean's heart. Why hadn't he told Elijah as soon as Mack had told him? Lijah was his family, too, just as much as Mack. "I'm sorry, Lij, I should have said something--"

"Don't be silly, Sean," Elijah interrupted. "It was Mack's news to tell. And don't worry, I won't let on that I know."

"Mack won't mind," Sean assured him. "I'm sure he'd want you to know."

"Fine, but that still doesn't explain why you seem so down. Don't you like her?"

"Who?"

Elijah sighed. "Mack's fiancée."

"No, it's nothing like that. She's wonderful."

"What then?"

"It's just that Mack, well..." Sean turned away, as if he was embarrassed to say the words. "...he's all grown up now."

Elijah suppressed a grin. "I think Mack's been grown up for quite some time, Sean."

"Yeah, I know, but he'll be married, have his own family. Things will change between us."

"Did they change between you when _you_ got married?" Elijah asked.

"No," Sean admitted.

"Then they won't change when _he_ gets married." Elijah put his arm around Sean's shoulder. "You know what your problem is, my friend?" When Sean shook his head Elijah continued. "You, my dear Seanie, are suffering from a bad case of empty nest syndrome."

Sean looked at him, bewildered. "Empty nest? It will be years before Ally and Lizzie are ready to leave home."

"I was talking about Mack."

"Mack and I haven't lived together since I got married, Elijah."

Elijah sighed again, this time in exasperation. "Sean, for a man with two college degrees, you're not very smart."

"So educate me," Sean said with a trace of both injury and annoyance.

Elijah smiled. "You were Mack's protector from the day he was born, and that won't be an easy job for you to give up. You're a born caretaker, Sean, and you were taking care of Mack long before you ever started taking care of me."

"I can't even do that anymore," Sean said mournfully. "You're all grown up, too. You don't need me anymore either."

Elijah touched his forehead to Sean's. "If you think that, Irish, then you really _are_ a fool." He looked deeply into Sean's eyes. "Just because I don't go around locking myself out of my house anymore, or getting so drunk that you have to hold my head while I throw up, do you think that means I don't need you anymore?"

"The thought _had_ crossed my mind."

Elijah shook his head. "I'll always be grateful to you for taking care of me when those things happened, Sean, but your getting a locksmith for me and wiping the puke off my chin aren't what got me through that year and a half away from home."

"What then?"

"It was your strength, Sean. I'd be out on my feet, ready to give up, and then I'd see you working just as hard as I was, even harder than I was. You shared your strength with me, the same strength you shared with Mack his whole life, and that didn't stop just because you weren't living under the same roof." Elijah placed his hand on Sean's chest, over his heart. "You and Mack will always be as close as you are now because no matter what he does, no matter where he goes, he'll always live right here. You've got the biggest heart of anyone I know, Sean Astin, and there's room in there for Mack, Ally, Lizzie, Chris, your folks and anyone else who needs you."

"Including you?" Sean asked, putting his hand on top of Elijah's.

"_Especially_ me," Elijah said softly, touching his lips to Sean's in a gentle kiss. "I'll always need you, Seanie. I'll _never_ stop needing my Sam."


End file.
